


A Day in the LIfe

by EstherAle24_7



Series: Chalant: Past, Present, Future & Forever [4]
Category: Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, F/M, Family, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:40:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25563742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EstherAle24_7/pseuds/EstherAle24_7
Summary: Drabbles of situations Zatanna and Dick face in their relationship & life together that take place in different parts of the series.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Zatanna Zatara
Series: Chalant: Past, Present, Future & Forever [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852552
Comments: 5
Kudos: 20





	1. Bated Breath

*****Post Perfect Family, During Partners, Pre Legacy*****

**Dick's POV**

Nightwing sat alert against the wall awaiting the signal. He rubbed the side of his neck with his hand and he felt the silver chain pull. His fingers lingered there, feeling the chain and it's invisibly pressing weight, and after a moment he pulled it out of his costume and over his head to examine it.

The thin chain held an engraved silver band that made the ache he was feeling in his chest stronger.

Radio silence for three and a half weeks was nothing before he had officially retired. Now, it was like every day he went without hearing her voice, or the pitter patter of their feet was too long.

He scoffed as he remembered how he initially thought this might be a smallish vacation from the never-ending job he had unknowingly enlisted into.

He rolled the band between his fingers and brought it to his face to read the engraving inside of it.

Boy wonder, partner, lover, & friend. Z.

He read the inscription over and over as if to make sure it were real. A small part of him knew that reading it over and over wouldn't make the current situation better. He wondered though, if when he got home the inscription would still be true, at least to the one who had it inscribed.

He sighed, he knew their relationship wasn't as fragile as that but she'd probably still be mad at him. He ran his finger over it again, pressed his lips to the band, and slid it over his head and around his neck where it belonged.

"I'm coming home Zee, just wait for me." He whispered to nothing and no one.

Just then a flare gun went off.

The signal!

He jumped over the ledge and into action. This was the last battle, the last one standing between him and home.

* * *

**Zatanna's POV**

_**BRRRIIINNGGG BRRRRIINNGG** _

The alarm was blaring on the countertop next to the bed. Zatanna groaned internally, and debated getting up. She reached over the black haired beauty beside her and slammed the alarm shut.

 _ **Just one more minute**_ **,** she thought to herself.

Just as she began to settle back into the bed, she felt a pair of hands tugging at her arm.

"Mommy, we can't be late again." Wyette reminded her, as she stretched her tiny limbs in every direction.

Zatanna nodded absentmindedly as she turned her body in the other direction to continue sleeping.

The mattress quivered as the eight year old rolled all over the bed and then again as she pulled herself onto her mother's body.

"Nooo Wye, stop…." Zatanna pleaded in a tired voice.

Wyette, with her legs on either side of her mother's body started bouncing.

"Mommy…mommy…mommy" she wailed trying to wake her up.

Zatanna rolled and Wyette lost her balance while bouncing falling back unto the bed with an _umph_ _and_ a ballad of giggles.

Zatanna groaned internally, really, she wanted to wake up and be the responsible parent she knew she should be, but she was exhausted. Between being a full time single parent (due to Dick's covert mission), a stage magician all hours of the night, and home maker, she was coming to her wits end.

They had a schedule, a strict schedule that for the most part they stuck to. Dick brought the kids to school in the morning then went to work, while Zatanna slept in. She picked them up after school and after school programs on odd days of the week, helped with homework, then they would have dinner as a family every night and do basic physical training (only if there was free time), finally they would tuck in the twins and she'd go off and do her show.

Doing it alone was exhausting and even though she should've been pissed at Dick, now all she could feel towards him was longing. He was a homework wizard and even though she loved having physical training time all to herself to teach the twins only magic, it was draining.

Alfred and Bruce were saints, Alfred was never late to babysit during her shows and Bruce even insisted that they spend the weekends in Gotham when Zatanna had back to back shows – which in case you were wondering was every weekend. The kids loved sleeping over at Bruce's, the Wayne manor was so huge they could get lost in it every weekend and still have more to explore the next time.

Alfred tricked them into eating their vegetables without complaint and not to mention their other super powered buddies usually came over like the West and Kent kids. The twins were also obsessed with Damian, though he found them annoying and meddlesome since they practically followed him around the mansion, which made it easier to leave them there, guilt free.

And no one could ever argue Zatanna wasn't a doting enough parent, she called frequently, visited through water mirrors, she even let them be a part of her act on some Saturday nights just to have them with her but some weekends a small part of her wondered if Bruce wouldn't mind keeping them longer.

As she felt Wyette trying to climb her another time she rolled to the other side of the bed. She smirked as Wyette let out another fit of giggles, the sound was like music to her ears, and it even made her want to join in. If there was one thing she couldn't deny, it was that the twins always kept her entertained. It was never boring in the Grayson home.

_Ah the joys of being a –_

Zatanna shot out of her sleeping position, eyes peeled open and alert, "Where's John?" she asked Wyette suddenly.

Wyette shrugged but Zatanna's fears were already put to rest as she noticed two levitating pieces of toast coming towards her.

John, his disheveled dark hair pointed in every which way, stood there with his black brows furrowed in concentration. With an outstretched arm she grabbed the two pieces of toast, scarcely covered in a fruit jam and looked towards the door.

"That was great hun," she said as animatedly as she could at 6 in the morning before grabbing the toast and handing it to the awestruck girl beside her.

Wyette looked at her toast and then at her brother mesmerized before exploding in a fit of excitement, "Woah! You got it all the way to the bed?!" she exclaimed rhetorically as if she hadn't witnessed the act herself.

Wyette jumped off the bed and ran over to her brother, speaking so quickly that Zatanna barely heard any of it.

 _ **Maybe they're speaking in that secret twin language everyone is always going on about**_ Zatanna thought to herself as her eyelids began to droop.

"Mommy!" the twins shouted in unison as it appeared Zatanna had fallen asleep again.

"I'm up!" she wailed as she felt the twins yank at her arm.

The twins laughed in harmony, and Zatanna chuckled.

"Mommy we can't be late again." John reminded her as Wyette had earlier.

Zatanna drew her eyes open then and looked at the eight-year-old children balefully, "You know," she said smugly, "You don't have to go to school. You can always stay home, sleep in and come to work with mommy." She purred.

Wyette laughed and shook her head violently, her raven black locks bouncing out of control with every movement.

"No, we have to go to school to get smarter, daddy said so." he insisted in a firm voice.

Zatanna laughed, "You're smart enough, wise guy." She said as she finally set both her feet on the oak floor boards. "Now go get ready, you don't want to be late."

The twins ran into the hallway and Zatanna walked into the master bathroom. She walked over to the mirror and sighed as she took in her disheveled appearance. A light shone into her eye and she squinted and looked down. Her promise and engagement ring sat in front of the mirror reflecting the light. She picked them up and sighed.

They were beautiful, as beautiful as the man who gave them to her and _**yeah…..his physical appearance wasn't so bad either**_ , she joked to herself.

She brought the rings to her lips as if she hoped he could feel it.

"I'm waiting for you Boy wonder, hurry up and come back to me. To us." She whispered as she dropped her hand to her midsection for a moment and then walked towards the shower.


	2. Happy Birthday Boy Blunder!

*****Post Perfect Family, During Partners, Pre Legacy*****

Dick looked in the mirror intently as he coaxed the shaving gel onto his face. He could hear when Zatanna entered, the floorboards sighing as they took on her minimal weight. She walked to the bathroom door and leaned on the frame.

"How are you feeling?" she asked with a smile in her voice.

Dick turned to face her with his foam beard, "Not old, if that's the answer you're looking for." He laughed.

She pressed her teeth into her bottom lip and walked over to where he stood. "Let me." she said, with an opened hand.

Dick handed her the electric razor and took a step back from the sink. She shuffled in front of him and sat on the lip of the counter. Dick smiled broadly and Zatanna grabbed his face in her hand.

"Don't move," she warned seriously. "Rozar nrut otni a gnivahs efink."

Dick watched as the razor turned into a shaving knife and looked at her skeptically.

"Oh please Dick, these are skilled hands." She reminded him. "Now stand still." She reminded him again as she started to shave him.

His hands slowly walked up and down her thighs before he smirked at her mischievously.

Zatanna smiled in response ever so slightly, "It's your face." she reminded him.

Once she'd finished she turned around to wash off the knife in the sink, Dick brought his arms around her waist to wash his hands and keep her there. He leaned into the crock of her neck and made himself comfortable. Zatanna gave him a dubious glance and he looked back at her all too innocently.

"So should I expect the usual burnt toast and jam breakfast, or did you go downstairs to help diversify the menu?" he asked.

Zatanna closed the running water and turned in his arms to face him. He pecked her on the lips quickly and she laughed. "I can't tell you that. It would ruin the surprise."

"No fair, I have a surprise and I don't want to keep it from you," he said suggestively as he pressed his body closer to hers slowly.

Shock flitted across her face followed by laughter, "That's not a surprise officer, that's assault." She scolded while subtly motioning to his 'surprise'.

Dick laughed and came closer still. Zatanna, in an attempt to back away, tripped backwards and onto the sink counter again.

"Dick, stop, the kids are downstairs making your surprise birthday breakfast," she reminded him through a fit of giggles.

"It's my birthday Zee, I think I'm allowed to have dessert before breakfast and something tells me, that the kids would be on board with that general concept." He countered, ignoring her slapping fingers as he reached for her shorts.

"Okay, okay!" she said grabbing his prying hands, "I have a compromise." she offered.

"I love you in compromising positions," he said quietly. Zatanna rolled her eyes and he kissed her nose in response.

"How about, I have my breakfast first?" she said. Dick looked at her through confused narrowed eyes.

She pushed him away from the counter and pecked him on the lips. She slid off the countertop before gracefully sinking to her knees and taking his boxers along with her, all the while watching his eyes light up with anticipation.

Just as Zatanna moved in on his member an all too familiar sound exploded into the room.

"Mommy?!" The twins cried as they strolled into the master bedroom unannounced. Zatanna shot up from the floor while Dick scrambled to pull up his boxers and settle himself. They tripped over each other as they emerged from the bathroom.

"Happy Birthday Daddy!" they screamed in a failed attempt at unison while running towards him. In a quick and subtle maneuver Dick spun and caught them by the waist hoisting them onto his shoulders quickly.

Zatanna laughed so hard tears started to prick her eyes.

"Thanks guys!" He said animatedly.

"We made you breakfast." John said proudly.

"It's a surprise." Wyette chimed in.

Dick smiled, "I can't wait to see it then." he promised as they all started walking down the stairs.

They entered the kitchen and Dick took in the breakfast feast the twins had laid out with help, no doubt, form Zatanna. He turned to looked at her and slid the twins off his shoulder.

"Guys this is incredible!" He exclaimed.

"Surprise." they shouted.

"Mommy helped." Wyette beamed.

"Did she now?" Dick said with little surprise in his voice as he roped his arms around her waist. He kissed her too briefly for his liking but John and Wyette erupted into a chorus of ews so maybe it was long enough.

"Breakfast." Zatanna ordered. The twins snickered and shuffled off to get their plates.

"Happy Birthday." she whispered against his lips. "Do you like your surprise?" she asked.

He smiled and kissed her softly, "Yeah but mine was better."

She laughed, "Mine was best."

Dick smirked, "Well I guess we'll just have to pick up where we left off some other time than."

"Promises, promises." She said jokingly.

He kissed her again more passionately and she sighed contentedly into the kiss, running her dainty fingers through his hair.

"Happy Birthday Boy Blunder."


	3. 8-1-1

*****Pre Perfect Family, Pre Partners, Technically Post Legacy*****

They'd been together on and off for five years now, but steady and together for two whole years. They'd been engaged about 671 days, not that she had been counting or anything but now more than ever it seemed like every second mattered.

She paced around the bathroom a few more times and then her timer went off. She rushed to the sink and fumbled with the phone clumsily.

"Breathe Zee, just breathe." She reminded herself. She looked in the mirror, her wavy black hair was in a messy high bun at the crown of her head and her naked face was flushed. She took another steady breath to calm herself and picked up the stick, a small pink plus sign glared her right in the face.

"No way….." She muttered.

She was on the sofa now, in the midst of levitating books, reading and checking her phone every three minutes. She knew it was pointless though, Dick said he would most likely be on radio silence while he and some members of the League scouted out disappearing refugees at the cape of Africa.

 _8-1-1_ she'd texted him. It was their code, it meant to get in contact ASAP. That was two hours ago and just the lack of response alone ruined her concentration. She was beginning to worry now even though she knew she had no reason to. Dick was perfectly capable of handling himself and he had some of the League's power houses with him on this mission.

For the first time though, she was worried whether he'd come back unscathed as he always had. _What if..._ she stopped her thoughts there; nope she wouldn't even go there and was horrified with herself for even having worried about it to that extent.

Just as she forced herself to focus and began reading where she'd last left off for the sixth time, she heard the door behind her click open. As he walked through the door, the books around her fell.

Tears pricked at her eyes and she dabbed them away, Dick looked at the time on his wrist and sighed before walking over to her and enveloping her in his arms and pressing his lips to her temple. "Sorry if you waited up for me, I didn't realize my phone died. What's going on?" he asked in an exhausted but attentive voice.

"Dick?" her voice got caught in her throat and he pulled away to look at her.

"It's okay Zee, what is it?" he asked in a forced soothing tone.

She didn't say -couldn't say- anything for a little bit. She was trembling and as he went to ask another question, she threw her arms around him and sobbed silently. Her fingers ran through his thick head of hair and breathed in his heady smell, clutching him closer to her and acknowledging the force of his mere presence to her. Dick didn't say anything but held her close, his hands rubbing soothing circles on her back, bringing her back from her small panic attack.

When she felt that she could breathe again she took in a rattled breath, "I'm pregnant Dick." She said shattering the screaming silence of the nighttime with her breathy whisper.

Dick's eyes widened in shock and his mouth went dry, Zatanna saw the look in his eyes and began to panic.

"I just don't know how this could've happened, I mean I know we weren't really careful the last few times but I've been on the pill faithfully for so long and it should've...I'm so sorry." She broke into silent sobs again and Dick was pulled from his reverie.

He grabbed her face in his hands roughly, and pushed her against the column in the living room before he started kissing her desperately. Zatanna kissed him back despite herself and found herself gasping for air. Dick didn't seem to notice though because the second she went to pull away to breathe, his burning lips found hers again and knocked the breath right out of her mouth.

When he finally pulled away, her eyes fluttered open to catch the small buds of water in his eyes and the wicked smile on his face.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," he whispered fervently before kissing her again softly this time.

It could've been the unsuspecting joy that ripped through her like an explosion or just the way he kissed her but Zatanna's never ceasing tears seemed to cascade upon her face freely now, and she stood on the tip of her toes to secure his face in her hands and kiss him so softly, it made him weak at the knees.

As he pressed his body against hers – which was still backed up against the column- and stripped her of her clothes, she wondered idly about the future.


	4. Ours

*****Pre Perfect Family, Pre Partners, Post Legacy*****

"You know what they say," she said as her full lips curved into a breath-taking smile. "The best way to find someone in a ballroom is to dance through it."

Dick smirked, he'd been the one to tell her that, years ago at a charity event for the Wayne Foundation. Now years later they were finally together, secret identities and lifelong vendettas be damned.

They'd come a long way; they went from being estranged friends, to occasional midnight rendezvous partners, then they'd entered completely different relationships before they finally started casually dating in secret. Although secret was a very loose term for it, the members of the former and current team knew as well as several numbers of the JLA, but they never vocalized or advertised it.

They simply preferred it that way, it made them feel like they were living normal lives.

"They sound like geniuses." He remarked.

She threw her head back in one of her heart sprinting laughs, the kind that made his palms a little moister than they should be, the ones that completely captured his attention and made his heart feel full. She took his hand in hers and lead him towards the dance floor.

"Well you would know Grayson," she allowed.

He chuckled at the memory she alluded to as they danced, oddly enough he found that he was in the same position, head over heels and wanting to tell her so much more than he felt he could say.

He let go of the small breath he'd been holding as he twirled her under his arm and pulled her into him.

She brought her arm around his neck and sighed contentedly as he tightened his hold around her.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you loved me." She purred as her eyes scanned the room. She caught the gaze of an older woman who watched them dreamily, Zatanna brought her head to Dick's chest and made herself at home.

The woman winked at her as she smiled back gently.

"Young love," Zatanna breathed. "The show that always sells."

Dick didn't reply but spun her out and brought her in again.

Zatanna brought her lips to his ear, "I don't have a penny, but would you tell me what you're thinking anyway?"

Dick pulled back to look at her skeptically and mildly impressed.

"You haven't said much since we've gotten here." she explained. "That and you missed the opportunity to dip me at the last song; you usually sell the young love more convincingly."

Dick smiled, "Maybe that's because I'm not acting."

"Good to know." Zatanna winked.

He took a breath and let the words leave his lips. "I want you to move in with me Zee."

He watched as her only reaction was a mildly surprised face and raised eyebrows just before she composed her features. She sighed but not before having draped her arms around his neck and letting him lead, the Vietnamese waltz wasn't her forte but Dick seemed confident enough. She placed her ear to his chest and slowly scanned the room for their man (suspect).

"He's not in my line of vision." She informed him.

He put a small space between them and twirled her back into him, subtly adjusting their position so she could scan the opposite side of the room while he did the same.

"Well, what do you say?" He prompted when she didn't respond.

She bit her lip and smiled brilliantly. "I say how about I leave a closet full of my things at your place, you leave a closet full of yours at mines. You leave a tooth brush; I leave that, a makeup bag and no one's the wiser." She counter offered. "This way we can move in and say we didn't."

"Always one step ahead of the rest." He noted, his dark blue eyes probing her face. "But not exactly what I had in mind."

"Well this isn't exactly the romantic night out I had in mind, but I'm adjusting." She countered.

"That's a completely different analysis," He protested as he dipped her into a low spin and picked her back up. "And we wouldn't have to do mission dates if we lived together, we wouldn't have to worry about work or distance getting in the way."

Her smile faulted, she pecked him on the lips and sighed. "How do you make something so hard sound so easy?" she mused.

"Are you afraid of commitment?" he asked genuinely.

"Not in the least," she answered honestly, meeting his scrutinizing gaze with her own.

"Then what are you afraid of?" he asked as the music in the background slowed.

"You." she said, her eyes honest. "You, Dick Grayson, terrify me."

"Our guy is on the move, let's take a stroll." She suggested, casually bringing his arm around her waist and walking them to the coat concierge behind the desk.

"My jacket please." the man (their suspect) pressed the lady who was rummaging through the closet.

They stood behind him at a comfortable distance and he turned to glance at them fleetingly. Zatanna tucked herself warmly into Dick's embrace though he didn't respond as he should have, the man turned around and Zatanna threw Dick a withering glance that he failed to notice as her words still ran wild in his head.

After a while Dick still hadn't said a word and Zatanna shifted gears to use this moment to their advantage as well.

"Is this the silent treatment?" Zatanna asked as she stepped back and stood beside their suspect and turned to face Dick. She subtly pulled him into her, and shot a glare at him that said _**We're still on a mission**_ _._

The man looked at Zatanna and Dick snapped out of his trance.

"No, this is the sound of utter shock." He responded by encircling her in his arms and subtly adjusting the ring on his left hand.

Zatanna laced their fingers together and slipped it off his finger unnoticeably. "Look I just don't think we should rush it." She replied.

The man turned back around hesitantly, he was losing interest in their story but that didn't mean he wasn't weary of them. He looked into the coat closet and prepared to scold the coat check girl.

"I don't know that I'd call it rushing per say, maybe more like taking a leap of strong faith." Dick countered, he pulled away from her slightly to talk to the girl fumbling around in the coat closet. "We need our coats too, please." Dick said in an agitated tone.

The flustered girl looked at the three people at the counter with panic, "I'm sorry, just give me a moment. It's just taking longer than usual."

"Today lady!" the guy in front of them shouted.

Zatanna gently slapped the lapels on Dick suit.

"Hey, cut the girl some slack, no job is easy in a dimly lit closet and pointed toe heels." She said stepping up the counter and bracing her arms over it. She brought up her knees only to have her dress catch unexpectedly.

Another couple lined up behind them.

"Hey what are you doing?" the girl asked shakily. "You can't come back here."

Zatanna smiled, "Look it's no problem, I used to be a coat check too. I'm just trying to help, you're about to have a line out here." She said looking behind her.

"My boss-" she started.

"Isn't around and I'm trying to help. How about a thank you?" Zatanna interrupted.

Zatanna threw an exasperated look at Dick and the man on either side of her. "A hand please boys?"

The man mumbled something under his breath as he and Dick moved to help lift Zatanna over the counter.

"Mmmmm, what gentlemen." She purred.

She walked into the closet space, took the ticket number of the man's jacket from the girl and whispered a quick location spell under her breath while walking further into the closet.

"Oh look, our jackets are in the same spot." She said, plucking three jacket from the rack and slipping the ring into the top jacket.

"I swear I looked there." the girl promised.

Zatanna smiled at her kindly, "Hey I get it, but its fine we all got our jackets." She said walking past her and handing the man the coat.

"Thanks." he muttered before he and Dick pulled her over the counter again.

"Likewise, have a good night." She smiled as he stole another appreciative glance at her bared back and exposed leg.

Dick cleared his throat and the man flushed just before he scurried out of the hotel.

"We should go," Dick said as he held the jacket open for her like a gentleman.

"Let's." she agreed softly.

They walked quietly for what seemed like too long a moment until he couldn't take it anymore. He watched as she turned into the parking garage and let down her hair, which fell into waves onto her naked back.

"Well that went well, now all we have to do is let the tracking ring tell us where he is in the morning." She sighed.

She wore a burgundy dress with a plunge so deep it stopped in the center of her rib cage, the dress was backless and had a slit that on the left side that ran up to her center thigh. She wore a pair of black pointed toe red bottom five-inch stilettos (she called them her work shoes) and minimal amounts of jewelry but most notably a golden necklace she'd fashioned (just for tonight) from an anklet that her parents had given her at birth. She never went anywhere without it, one day it'd be a necklace, the next an earring, ring, or bracelet.

He followed her into the parking garage, "Are you going to tell me what you meant back there?" he asked.

She spun around but otherwise kept walking (backwards), "Will you drop it if I don't?" she asked.

"No." he admitted.

"Honesty." She mused as she leaned against the black car. "I like it."

"But not me?" he asked, sliding into the driver's seat.

She rolled her eyes and ducked into the passenger seat, "Don't be dramatic Dick." She said closing the door and putting on her seatbelt as he started to reverse. "Of course I like you, otherwise I would've avoided this awkward car ride and brought myself home."

He looked at her evenly and she shrugged, "I'm just being honest, but if I knew you'd get all weird about it I wouldn't have said anything."

"Well what am I supposed to think when you tell me you're terrified of me?" he asked honestly.

"Thank you," he muttered to the guy in the ticket booth.

He pulled out of the parking garage, turned the corner, and hit the highway with speed.

"I was just being honest, Dick." She said again.

"So am I, Zatanna. You're scared of me? Since when? Why?" he asked a hint of desperation in his tone.

"It's hard to explain."

He threw her an exasperated look, "We speak at least five languages -fluently- in common, pick one."

"Dick…"

"I'm serious Zatanna, I need to know."

"Fine…it's just…I don't…. I can't trust you Dick." She said bluntly.

A look of surprise flashed across his face.

"Don't look so surprised, you and I both know there are a number of reasons why you're hard to trust. Do I need to remind you of-"

"No," he said in a hard voice through a tight jaw, "But I thought we'd gotten pass that."

"We have, but that doesn't mean I trust you. The good man forgives but the wise man doesn't forget. That and the two of us aren't exactly the luckiest people in love. You've been engaged twice and I've literally dated demons, let's just cut our losses while we're still young."

He threw her an unamused glanced but otherwise kept driving.

"I like what we have Dick, and I like you, I more than like you but I don't know if I want to do the whole next level thing. Not like this anyway." She admitted.

They drove quietly for a moment.

"How are you in a relationship with someone you don't trust?" he asked rhetorically.

"I don't know." she answered, regretting it the moment it passed her lips.

"What do you mean you don't know? You don't trust me and we're in a relationship!" he exclaimed.

"Are we?!" she countered belligerently.

Dick looked away from the empty stretch of highway before them, "Aren't we?"

"I-I don't know."

"How can you not know? We're either together or we're not." Dick said exasperated.

"We go out on dates, fight crime, and sleep together occasionally." She said.

He looked at her plainly and she started backtracking, "Okay, we do some things more than occasionally." She allowed. "But it's not like we ever said we were together or even exclusive, not officially anyway."

"Are you saying you've been seeing someone else?" he asked in what she coined his Nightwing voice (the voice he used when he was trying to stay in firm control of his emotions or show the lack thereof). "Is that why you don't want to move in with me?"

"No." she said frustratedly. "I'm just saying we never gave this (she said pointing to herself and then him) a title."

"Okay," he allowed, "But honestly Zatanna, I think we both knew what this was even without the disclosure."

"Fine, that's fair."

"So is it safe to say we have been in an unofficial exclusive relationship for over the past year?" he asked.

"Yes." She said.

"Okay, I'd like to change that. So, will you officially be in a relationship with me?" he asked.

She bit her lip in contemplation.

"Or is the question, do you even want to be in a relationship with me?" he asked darkly.

"Stop that." she said seriously.

"Stop what? Asking questions?" he asked angrily. "Because I gotta say Zee, I'm wishing I had asked these questions a lot sooner."

"Stop getting upset about every answer. If you don't want to hear it, then don't ask." She snapped.

"Are you insinuating I'm not going to like the answer to my last question because if that's the case, then I really don't know what we're doing here." He spluttered. "Do want to be in a relationship with me or not?"

"Dick, of course I want to be in a relationship with you; I love you." She exclaimed clearly frustrated.

A mix of emotions flitted across his face, but relief was the most palpable, not that she had any time to fully let that register as she continued in blatant frustration.

"You know that, and don't you dare say you don't." she said sternly as he opened his mouth to protest. "I love you and it's terrifying to me that I could be so committed to you, so stupidly in love with you, that I would give any and everything to you, without that same level of commitment -from you- being laid on the table."

"How could you possibly know that I am not just as committed, if not more?" he asked quickly.

"Because you're Dick Grayson; perfect until you're not. It means nothing to you to pull a Bruce and start keeping everyone including me in the dark about everything, especially how you feel. That's not a mutual level of trust or commitment and you know that too. I love you Dick but I won't subject myself to a relationship that isn't completely fair. I don't want to have to play detective in a relationship, that's just not the kind of person I am and trust me it's not the kind of girlfriend you want me to be. I deserve better than that and so do you."

"I've dated a detective." He reminded her.

"Yes Dick, because bringing your ex into this conversation is really a good move." She said sarcastically. "The bottom line is, if this is going to work then trust and communication are part of the deal all the time not just sometimes."

"I'm aware." He said.

"Are you?"

"I am." he promised fiercely. "I'm not that person anymore, I'm not…him." He pulled into an exit and stopped at the light and turned to look at her. "I swear. Please, give me a chance to prove that to you."

"Well what do you think I've been doing this whole time, this -right now- is your chance and it's the only one I'm giving you." She muttered her face slipping into a pout.

A hint of a smile played at his lips, "Good." He said. "Now will you please stop stalling me and be mine? Officially." He tacked on.

"Yes." She whispered. A smile exploded on his face and before he could say another word, she placed her hand on the left side of his face and leaned in and kissed him deeply.

The car behind them honked and Dick broke the kiss to continue driving.

"Now." She said. "We're official."

He took her hand off her lap and intertwined their fingers, "I'm already regretting it." He said semi-seriously.

She laughed, "Just take me home Grayson, I want to get out of this dress."

"I can help." He offered.

"I'd like that." she smiled.

"My place or yours?" he asked.

"I hope you mean ours." She corrected him.

He looked at her smiled. "That's exactly what I meant; ours." He said bringing the back of her hand to his lips.


	5. Night Terrors

***Pre Perfect Family, Pre Partners, and Post Legacy***

Zatanna shot up from the bed, face ashen and drenched in sweat. Her hand flew over her heart and her breaths came in gasps as she tried to shake the nightmare that rattled her to her core.

"Zee? What's wrong?" Dick asked beside her groggily.

Zatanna flinched at the sound of his voice and ran her shaky fingers through her knotted black locks.

"Nothing," she whispered roughly and hurriedly.

"Not true," Dick mumbled into his pillow, as he began to stir no doubt trying to force himself awake to comfort her. Just then the baby monitor went off as one of the twins started to cry.

"I got it," Zatanna said slipping out of the bed quickly and hurrying down the hallway.

She slipped into the nursery and gabbed the squirming little boy from his crib, she brought him to her chest and bounced him around softly. His wails pierced her ear drums as they grew louder and more desperate, she spun around quickly and left the nursery.

 _One crying baby is enough but God help us if both of the twins start crying_ she thought.

She walked down the stairs still trying to soothe him with admittedly unsteady fingers as they reached the kitchen. She propped the fridge door open with her foot and grabbed a bottle of breastmilk. Just as she had started to pull the microwave door open with her pinky finger and bottle in hand, it slipped and spilled onto the floor.

John must've noticed because he started to cry infinitesimally louder. Zatanna could feel tears pricking her own eyes as she bounced him less soothingly now and grabbed another bottle.

"John, shhhhh, I am so sorry. Just shhhhhh, it's okay, it's okay. Just please." She pleaded with the infant.

She didn't hear or even sense him come up behind her, "Zee," he said as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Shit!" she said as she jumped, clutching the baby to her chest and letting the bottle fall from her hand unto the floor….. again.

"What the -" she started angrily.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Dick said interrupting what was probably going to be a colorful show of her vocabulary.

"Let me." He said gently prying the wailing infant from her arms. Zatanna looked him straight in the eye to tell him she could handle it herself, but her anger dissipated when she saw the genuine look of concern and pity either for her sanity or the baby in her arms.

Tears flooded her eyes then and as he took the baby and began to speak, she just shook her head warning him (begging him) not to ask or say a word.

He shifted his attention away from her and to the fussing child in his arms, "Hey John, big guy…" he started soothing him.

He walked over the puddles of milk and grabbed another bottle. He got it in and out of the microwave in a matter of seconds, then into the baby's mouth; effectively stopping the wails.

With the only other person in the room presently occupied, Dick sighed and turned to Zatanna.

"Zee," he started softly.

She started crying then and walked out of the kitchen briskly, she could hear John crying again from the kitchen, so she knew he wouldn't follow her.

She went downstairs to the basement which had been remodeled into a free-range gym. She walked over to the punching bag, threw her arms around it and began to sob.

Dick gently bounced the baby in his arms and breathed a sigh of relief when John yawned, seeming effectively soothed. He took this chance to go in search of Zatanna and found her in the gym, dashing her tears away and trying to sob quietly as not to disturb John.

Dick pursed his lips and she shook her head and cast her gaze down in silent rebuke. Whatever it was that was bothering her, she wasn't going to tell him, at least not now. He went to sit on the mat behind her and she joined him.

They sat in a comfortable silence as John's little eyes roamed their faces and then occasionally the room. Time creeped by and Zatanna brought her head to his shoulder in quiet relief.

"You're so good at this." Zatanna whispered.

Dick smiled. "It's my superpower." He whispered back.

Zatanna frowned, "I'm not good at being-"

"You're perfect." Dick told her.

She shook her head in disagreement and gently stroked the baby's face.

John garbled in pleasure and smiled as his eyelids fluttered.

Dick tilted his head towards the now yawning infant, "I think he begs to differ."

Zatanna sighed and silence enveloped them, Dick wondered what more he could say. He knew better than anyone that Zatanna was a great mom, though admittedly she'd been struggling as of late and he was all too sure it was in direct correlation to her growing exhaustion.

He racked his brain to clear out the morning fog, it was still so early it wasn't even four in the morning yet. He wanted to phrase these words carefully though, after all Zatanna was someone who (due to her lifestyle) never really accepted free given praise, it had to be delicately managed.

"You are everything they need you to be and when you need a hand, there's me. You are the world's most devoted mother; they know it, I know it, you're just exhausted and that's to be expected."

She didn't respond, and he look down at her, sure enough she was asleep. He looked down at his arms and noted that John too had followed his mother, quietly, into the land of dreams.

He gently stood up, taking great care not to disturb her and brought John back to his crib. He then returned downstairs and carried Zatanna up to their bedroom and tucked her in, before joining her.

He placed a soft kiss on the side of her temple and watched as she eased into her sleep. He gently brought his forehead to hers and stroked the side of her face and her hair to soothe her until he fell asleep.


	6. Humor Me

Zatanna watched as Dick burned the midnight oil again, drowning himself in research and studies about the homo magi race and conception. He whipped through the pages of the magical history and genealogy hoping for a miracle

He threw the book off the table suddenly, growling wordlessly and bringing his head to his hands in frustration and exhaustion.

"Stop." she said placing her hand over his forcing him to look up and face her.

"Please." she added.

He shook his head tiredly and took hold of her hand firmly as if he were afraid to let go.

"You should be resting." he told her.

She smiled at him mischievously.

"So should you." she countered.

He sighed, before turning away to pick up the discarded material. "I'm serious zee, you need all the rest you can get."

"I'm pregnant not ill, lets go out and do something anything, catch a show, go to the movies, go for a walk anything." She offered.

He looked at her and could see the eagerness that shone in her ever-blue eyes. Even in his state of exhaustion he couldn't find it in him to defy his bending will, even now he was a sucker. A sucker for her.

He chuckled and compromised wanting to appease her in any way he could. "We can order in and watch a movie if that'll make you feel better."

Zatanna opened her mouth to argue that she wanted to do anything but stay in but could see the exhaustion weighing on him and could see the effort he made to entertain her. She forced a smile for his sake.

"Okay." she conceded.

Dick could see the excitement falter on her features.

"It'll be like a stay in dinner date." He yawned as he reached for the rest of the papers on the ground.

"I've almost forgotten what dating feels like." Zatanna replied.

Dick smiled wearily, "I'll remind you." He promised.

"Does that mean you aren't bringing your girlfriend?" she asked.

Dick gave her a puzzling glance and she cocked her head in the direction of the pile high books on the desks.

"Zatanna, you know I have to-" he started.

"Dick, I know how hard you're working and I know how important this is, but please just for tonight; humor me."

Her full lips slipped into a pout.

Dick smirked, "You know one of these day your magic tricks won't work on me." He teased.

"I haven't used magic in months." She told him.

Dick shrugged, "I've always thought the real magic was in your eyes."

"Smooth Grayson." Zatanna told him as she rolled her eyes but blushed anyway. "That was such a Wally line."

"Nope, that was all mine." He teased as he pressed his lips to her forehead and led them towards the kitchen.

* * *

She didn't know why she insisted on ordering Spanish food when all she ever really ate was the desert that came with it and in this case, that was the flan. Though why she craved it so much when all it ever did was put her to sleep was beyond her.

She woke up alone and covered on the couch, "Dick?" she croaked.

She eyed the clock on top of the tv and noted the time it was just a little past three in the morning and though she dreaded the fact, she knew exactly where she would find him.

She got up slowly and walked back to the office space, where he faced the computer screen and scrolled through more research. She leaned against the doorway and sighed.

"I should have known when you let me order the flan, that it was a setup." She mused.

Dick turned back to look at her, "You woke up? It's late."

"Yeah," she said as she stretched a little, "I tend to do that after a sugar crash, you must not have factored that into your plan."

He smirked and spun all the way around to face her, "My plan?"

"Dick you haven't let me have junk food since the second you heard I was pregnant. In fact, I don't think I've ever eaten so healthy in my life and I'm a vegetarian, I even went vegan for a while. You know sweets knock me out after a while this was no accident, you let me order it so that you'd be able to come back and keep doing this." She said waving her hand dismissively towards the books and computer that contained hours upon hours of his notation.

"I let you eat junk food." he responded coyly not denying her blatant accusation, "take out is junk food."

"Is not." Zatanna argued.

"Is too." Dick said spinning around to face the glowing screen once more.

Zatanna scoffed. "It was basically a salad with brown rice and beans, that's not…ugh that's not the point." she said regaining her focus.

She sighed as she watched him for a long moment and realized where her thoughts were heading.

"Do you remember when we were actually happy about this pregnancy? When we thought this would be the continuation of the Zatara and Grayson legacy, that this would be our happy beginning." She said in a small voice. "You know before we found out that it was twins?"

"Of course I remember, I'm still happy about this, I'm just worried. Sweetheart, no homo magi has ever successfully carried twins in the history of the entire race as far as we know, I think my being worried is only natural. I know this is going to be our happy beginning, we just need to do research and stick to the plan because it'd going to work. I'm ecstatic about this Zee, I am just taking whatever precautions I can."

"Right because the chances of my survival is currently slim to none but we've in no way let that affect our lives. We're as happy as ever." She said sarcastically and more so to herself.

"Zee-" Dick started.

Tears unexpectedly filled her eyes and she fought to keep them from falling.

"I'm not dead Dick, not yet anyway but this," she said using her arms to encircle the space around and above her, "this isn't living. I know you're scared and so am I but if I only have until my due date to live, then I am going to live; unafraid and determined like I always have."

"What does that mean Zatanna?" he asked broodingly, obviously unhappy at the way the conversation was turning out.

Zatanna pulled air into her lungs and steeled herself with resolve before speaking; hoping it would come out right.

"I mean that I am going to start living again, I'm going to go out, I'm going to explore, I'm going to enjoy the rest of this pregnancy as much as I can and you can either live with me or watch me do it from a distance because there is nothing" she paused to chock back a sob, "nothing I want more than you in the world right now but I need Dick Grayson, boyfriend and best friend extraordinaire not Dick Grayson researcher and babysitter."

Dick stood up and started walking over to her while Zatanna took a step back hesitantly. She knew once she was in his arms she'd crack for sure.

"And just so you know," she said holding her hand up to stop him, "this is not me storming off, I'm not mad, really I'm not. I'm just disappointed and I need some air." She turned down the hall grabbed her jacket and a set of house keys.

"Zee, its too late for a walk, can we just talk about this?" Dick argued.

Zatanna struggled with the zipper on her jacket before trying to take it off and getting stuck. Turning to look at him, a deep red flush bathed her face as she silently commanded his aid while trying to slavage her dignity and mood, and despite the tension in the room he walked over to her and helped her take it off.

He resisted the urge to laugh and watched as she pulled his jacket off the hook and put it on with more ease. She threw a large scarf around her neck and walked over to the bench where she struggled to put on her boots and Dick waited until she shot him baleful glare.

He raised his hands in surrender, "I thought you wanted to do it yourself, you don't want all the extra attention remember." He reminded her, referring back to another argument they had not too long ago about his hovering.

"Fine." She huffed as she dragged on his boots over her slightly swollen feet.

She got up with as much dignity she could muster and walked towards the door before Dick came up behind her.

"Hold on." He told her.

She turned to face him and he glided the jacket zipper over her swollen abdomen and then bent down to properly tie the boots to her feet.

"I know you didn't need my help," he said to placate her before she could argue, "I'm doing this for the sake of my sanity. Any slower and you'd go into labor in here."

She nodded stiffly and silently.

When he was done she opened the door into the wintery night and walked out.

As she heard the door close behind her, she took a small breath of relief and leaned against the rail only to be righted by a strong hand at her elbow.

She looked up and behind her to find him behind her.

"You don't think I'd let you go alone, right?" he muttered as he helped her down the stairs.

"No." she breathed. "But I thought you'd at least have the decency to let me get a block ahead of you before you followed."

"Sorry but you're stuck with me." He told her as he bit back another laugh.

"Fine then." She said petulantly.

* * *

They walked in silence for a while before he took her hand in his and laced their fingers together.

"I'm sorry you're disappointed." He said genuinely, "I didn't mean to make you feel like-"

"I know," she breathed, "it's not your fault and you're right to be worried, I am too but I can't go on like this Dick. It's killing me and you're not doing any better either, we decided to go through with this and so we will, no matter what. So if we're going to do it, lets do it as us, happy, adventurous, romantic, goofy…..us."

Dick didn't reply and Zatanna peaked up at him through her lashes. "Okay?" she probed.

Dick looked down and smiled at her, "Okay." He agreed easily as he pressed his lips to hers, something he realized in that same moment he hadn't done in too long.

Zatanna playfully slapped his chest, "Okay you've been laughing at me since before we left the house, what's so funny?"

He looked her over again, she swam in his winter coat despite the fact that she was six months pregnant, her legs looked as though they were sinking in his boots and the plain look of failing frustration on her face pushed him over the edge. He laughed wholeheartedly and she tugged on his hand to have him keep up with her walking pace.

"I still hate your cackle." She said.

Dick roped his arm around and her spun her around as she laughed in response. "You love my cackle."

"No, I love you so I put up with your cackle, there's a difference boy wonder." She said as laughed breathlessly.

"Oh yeah?" Dick challenged.

"Yeah." She responded eagerly, her flushed face lighting up, her eyes glowing with mischief and mirth, and her full warm lips parted.

Dick shook his head slowly as he realized how correct she was, how lucky they were to be together in spite of the situation they found themselves in, and how happy he was with her.

"Humor me." He replied just before sealing his lips over hers.


	7. Love Hurts

"Just hoist yourself up and over, and then balance your weight on your arms." He called out to her from below.

She used her lower abdomen to get some momentum going in an effort to follow his instruction when her hand slipped, and her core began to burn at the effort.

"I can't." She huffed.

"You can." He said enthusiastically. "I know you can."

She rolled her eyes impatiently, this was so not the time to be cute, but he couldn't help it. It was who he was through and through.

"My arms are going numb, my abs feel like they're going to implode and I'm going to fall." She told him.

"You're not going to fall." Dick told her for what felt like the tenth time, "You have great arm and core strength."

"That's different Dick, I'm a magician not an acrobat." Zatanna reminded him.

Dick smiled mischievously, "Well that's not the impression I got last night."

Two servers helping prepare for the event flushed and giggled

"Dick!" She shouted as she blushed furiously.

He laughed.

"Okay okay, I'm spotting you just come down."

She somersaulted off the beam and landed on the mat with a thud.

Dick laughed at her expression.

"Not so easy, is it?" He snickered as he went to help her up.

"I don't know how you're able to fight crime without magic, these exercises are ridiculous."

"Well not all of us can fly." He reminded her.

She smiled, "It's levitation, there's a difference." She told him. "Can't I just levitate through this routine, why do I actually have to do all of this? No one will know the difference."

"Zee it's a benefit for young performers, kids who put in work to be able to do these moves, if you just fake your way through it-"

"No one would know." she reminded him.

"I would," he replied, "and it means a lot to me."

Zatanna was pulled up short by his honesty. He glanced at his watch and sighed.

"Look Sabrina will be here tonight, and she's done the routine with me a bunch of times. Don't worry about it…..I've got to go my lunch break is almost over. I'll see you tonight." He said as he pecked her on the cheek and left.

Zatanna rubbed the palms of her wrapped hands together, she'd been at this all week, practicing this routine for the young performers benefit, a benefit Dick had been putting on since he was fourteen. Naturally a routine full of stunts, flips, and tricks like this would be child's play to him but even her peak shape it was physically taxing for her.

"Hey Zee." A bright voice suddenly sounded, alarming her a little before she turned to face the voice.

"Sabrina," Zatanna responded as she went to embrace the young acrobat, "how are you?"

The blonde bombshell smiled up at Zatanna who was only two or three inches taller than her.

"I'm great." she beamed, "I came in to practice my routine for tonight. Dick ups the ante every year, so I have to really push myself. He tells me you're doing the opening routine with him this year."

"I don't think so, I just can't get this routine down. Looks like it'll be you and Dick again." She said despondently.

The blonde fire cracker looked over her in disbelief. "What? No way! You're in such great shape."

Zatanna flushed, "Guess not, at least not for this, I would need a few more months under my belt."

"Well where are you struggling, maybe I could help." She offered.

"Oh no, I couldn't take up your time like that." Zatanna told her.

She snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Zatanna you're on tour, taking time out of your life to be in Gotham for a young performers benefit. Your presence alone had brought in more donations and the kids will be pumped to see you do magic and to do some acrobatics. This is the least I could do for you."

"Really Sabrina," Zatanna started again.

She waved her hands in the air to dispel any more arguments. "Oh, common Zee, just show me what you've been working on."

Zatanna sighed, "Fine." She agreed. "Try not to laugh." she muttered

She walked to the end of the mat and started the routine just before she reached the beam Sabrina stopped her.

"I know what your problem." is she laughed.

"What?" Zatanna asked.

"You're doing _**my**_ routine." She said simply. "You can't do my routine."

"Yeah, I know." Zatanna said flustered, "You and Dick do it every year. I can't get your part down."

"Zatanna you can't expect to succeed doing what I do, heck, I don't even do what I do. I change it up every year, subtly but still its different. Acrobatics is like….dancing everyone moves differently to the same song and this is no different. Don't try doing it my way, let loose flip, twist and turn your way. The only thing you really have to take into consideration is the timing since you'll have a partner."

Zatanna looked at her skeptically, "Look if its all the same to you, I'd rather you just do it with Dick. The kids love it, you guys are like a seasoned duo, and -"

"Zatanna," she said interrupting her, "there is no better duo in gymnastic than that of a couple. Think of the greats, think of the flying Grayson's, his parents were legendary, and it wasn't just because their moves were untouchable, it's because their relationship was epitomized and expressed in their movements."

Zatanna was left agape.

"I think it would mean more to Dick if you were able to do it, your way. I'll help you, we'll come up with something for you together."

"Okay." Zatanna squeaked.

Hours went by and Zatanna swore that her hands and backside had never been so red and sore. When she finally managed to peg down a routine of her liking she looked over at the rings and smiled.

"There is one move I want to add that isn't entirely my own." she told Sabrina suddenly. "But I need your help."

Sabrina smiled, knowing exactly which move she was referring to. Dick's signature ring routine and dismount, a move he'd modified from his father's own routine.

"You're something else Zatanna." Sabrina said as they walked toward the rings.

"So you didn't fall." a deep voice sounded from behind her as he picked her and spun her around. She squealed in delight and laughed. He put her down before him, wrapped his arms around her waist and brought them closer together.

"I can't believe you did my dismount, what were you thinking?" he asked her excitedly.

"I was thinking, I'm going to be sore for the rest of my natural life and probably worse if you didn't catch me." she breathed.

He looked at her incredulously.

"You're the best kind of crazy, you know that, right?"

She laughed. "I'm just glad you didn't drop me."

"Do I ever?" he whispered in a husky tone that made her palms sweat.

She blushed as their foreheads met and they caught their disjointed breath.

"You did great." he said seriously "I'm so proud of you."

"Really?"

"Zee that routine was incredible, I don't know how you came up with that in eight hours and that dismount was…." he shook his head in disbelief something else he finished.

"Imitation is the best kind of flattery." She joked. "Sabrina helped, she practically kicked my ass all day today."

"Remind me to thank her." Dick said seriously, his eyes alight with excitement and wonder.

"I will, right after you thank me." she said jokingly as she brought her lips to the side of his jaw.

Dick grasped her chin in his hand and sealed his lips firmly over hers as she melted into his embrace in response. As he went to deepen the kiss she pulled away and smiled.

"You still have a benefit to manage." she reminded him.

He smiled, "Yeah I do."

They pulled apart and she watched as he prepared to oversee another part of the program before heading onto the stage, suddenly she was swept off her feet again and spun around his lips over hers in an excited and rushed manner.

"You are something else Zatanna Zatara. I love you." he said before kissing her lightly on the lips and taking to the stage.

Zatanna rubbed the palm of her left hand with her right thumb, feeling the bruises and developing callouses.

"Love hurts." She told herself as she laughed and went to watch the rest of the show from behind the stage.


	8. Apologies

*****Pre Perfect Family, Post Legacy, Pre Partners******

Dick clapped his friend on the back as he walked him to his car. "Congrats man, really, I'm proud of you."

Wally turned around and shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe she said yes."

"Me either." Dick joked.

"Hey." Wally wailed.

Dick lifted his hands in mock surrender. "Kidding!"

Wally leaned against the car and looked up at the stars above them. "This is it, the beginning of the rest of my life. It's everything I've ever wanted and with the perfect girl."

"You're a lucky man." Dick replied. "Way lucky."

Wally punched his shoulder.

"Artemis West." Wally said, almost testing the name aloud. "It has a nice ring to it, right?"

"Honestly?" Dick replied jokingly.

Wally rolled his eyes and Dick laughed.

"It sounds great man. It sounds right." Dick replied.

"Thanks." Wally breathed. "You're….you're like a brother to me, my best friend. You saved my life, took care of Artemis while I was gone,"

"I was the reason you were gone."

"That's not true." Wally said suddenly. "I came back on my own, I made that choice and I don't regret it."

Dick didn't reply.

"I thought we were over this, that you were getting better." Wally said quietly.

"Yeah." Dick muttered.

"At any rate, I'm back and I'm getting hitched and I need to know my best man is going to be up there with me." He said.

Dick looked up at him and smiled. "Of course, he will."

"Good." Wally replied.

"I still can't believe you're the first one biting the bullet." Dick joked. "Who would have seen that coming?"

Wally laughed, "If it wasn't for Artemis, I wouldn't be. I definitely thought you'd be the first one to get married."

"What?" Dick asked incredulously.

"Yeah man, you might've been a dog but you were a dog with a dream. You know marriage, the house, the kids, the job. The civilian life."

"Yeah yeah yeah."

"I'm serious." Wally laughed. "You were a family man the day we met and you're a family man now. You just needed someone hotter, smarter, stronger, and all around better than you to get you there. Zatanna's the one."

Dick smirked, "Yeah, she is."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Wally asked. "For her to come to her senses?"

Dick shrugged and started drinking the beer in his hand.

"Uh oh." Wally said.

"What?" Dick said, "I didn't say anything."

"Dude, it's what you didn't say."

"You've been reading Artemis' psychology books again haven't you?" Dick replied.

This time it was Wally's turn to shrug. "You can't beat what you don't understand. She'll win every argument for the rest of our lives if I don't brush up now."

"She'll win anyway." Dick told him.

"A man can dream." Wally replied.

"Keep dreaming." Dick snorted.

"Whatever man, when are you gonna pop the question?" He insisted.

"Did someone put you up to this?" Dick asked.

"Common Grayson what's the hold up? She might stay young forever, but you wont."

Dick rolled his eyes. "She's just as human as you and me, well me." he corrected himself.

"The girl can talk to spirits, walk between realms and save the world while wearing heels. Yeah there's nothing special about her." Wally said sarcastically.

"Look it's not me. Zatanna doesn't want to get married." Dick said earnestly.

"What?" Wally replied incredulously.

"Zatanna doesn't -"

"I heard you but ….what?" Wally repeated.

Dick shrugged. "We've talked about it, you know, and she's made it clear she's not getting married until her father can walk her down the aisle. Until she rescues him. It's like her incentive to try harder, do better, I don't know I think its self-inflicted punishment, but she won't budge."

"That's sick." Wally breathed.

Dick didn't reply.

"You find the perfect girl and she doesn't want to marry you? What are you gonna do?" Wally asked wide eyed.

"What can I do, I love her, I need her, she's the only one for me, the only one I want forever." He confessed.

"But you want to marry her, right?" Wally pointed out.

"I mean, it's just a piece of paper, right?" Dick argued weakly.

"Wrong, its more than that and you know it, otherwise it wouldn't bother you so much that she doesn't want to get married. I mean, if she doesn't even want to marry you, will she want to have kids? You know start a life with you?" He asked cautiously.

"I know, I know but I want to build a life with her. How can I leave just because she doesn't want to walk down the aisle and for a good reason." He pointed out.

Wally looked at the empty beer in his friend's hand and back at the bar they'd just exited. He locked his car and started back towards the bar.

"We need more beer." He replied.

* * *

"How was Wally's celebratory party?" Zatanna asked as he walked through the front door of their apartment although her voice came from the living room.

"It was fun, it was good seeing everyone together for something other than the end of the world."

She laughed, and he smiled in response in spite of his mood, her laughter always had that effect on him.

He put his jacket away and walked towards the living room where she sat crisscrossed on the couch with take-out scattered about.

"Ta-da!" She said her hands out to motion towards the food.

"What's all this?" He asked.

"I figured you wouldn't do a lot of eating you know with Wally there." She hinted.

"Still eats like a vacuum," he confirmed.

"I know, Artemis tells me about it, oddly enough she finds it endearing now."

"That lucky bastard." Dick joked.

Zatanna's smile broadened, "So I got your favorite, Chinese takeout with fresh pizza."

He walked over to the couch kissed her on the forehead and sat down, "You're perfect."

"I try." she replied as she grabbed her chopsticks.

"You succeed." He replied as he started to dig in.

"Mmm." she said while she ate her noodles, "tell me everything, who was there, what's going on in their lives, I want to know every detail."

"You see them more often than I do." he reminded her.

"But boys don't talk about stuff in front of girls." She countered.

"Not much to tell." he warned her.

She threw him a withering glance.

He rolled his eyes, "Okay so get this," he started as he brought her up to speed on all the details he knew she would be dying for.

* * *

It was the end of the night and Zatanna was laid across the couch with her head in Dick's lap as he told her of Wally's ideas of a honeymoon and bachelor party.

She shook her head, her hair spilling over his lap. "Artemis would kill him before she let any of that fly."

"A man can dream." he said echoing her sentiments.

She was silent for a moment, before taking a deep breath and asking him. "What are your dreams?"

"What?" he asked.

"Your dreams, Dick. What are they? I mean Conner and M'gann are engaged, Kaldur is dating seriously, Wally your best friend is getting married. You're semi-retired from the hero gig, you're on your way to being promoted to detective, is this part of your dream?" she asked.

"Of course, it is." he told her. "The hero gig is on and off but I know what I want, I'm fully committed to being a detective, I can make a difference here in the Blud. I know I can and I don't want to do it in costume I want to do it in uniform, restore the faith in good old fashion police work before the Blud turns into Gotham."

"And you will," Zatanna told him, "In good time baby; I believe in you, I support you and I always will."

"In good time." he agreed, bringing the back of her hand which was intertwined with his, to his lips.

"But that's not what I meant." she told him softly, he looked down at her in confusion, though he felt uneasy.

"What do you mean?" he asked though he was certain he knew what she meant.

"I mean, what are your dreams in your personal life? You want a family, don't you? A wife, house, kids, a dog, you know a life?" she said rhetorically.

He shrugged knowing exactly where the conversation was headed and trying to redirect its path.

"I don't know if that's the only life worth living though." He said nonchalantly.

Zatanna sat up right and crossed her legs again, still holding his hand.

"Please don't do that." She told him.

"Don't do what?" He asked.

"It's okay to want those things Dick, its more than okay, its great, its normal, its-"

"It's not for us, not right now and I'm okay with that." He promised.

"I'm not." She said frankly, holding his gaze and tightening her grip on his hand.

Dick looked into her eyes and saw the resolve in her eyes.

"I'm not okay with that and I hate it." She said.

"Zee-" he started.

"Don't Dick, just don't. It's okay. I'm okay, I've accepted my fate, I know the path I'm meant to walk, I chose it. I am still choosing it. but its not fair that I choose those things over or for you."

"You aren't Zee, I get it." He started again.

"I know you get it, I love you for getting it, but I want so much more for you. Dick, you deserve so much more than what I can give you."

"Zatanna you speak as though it's never going to happen for us. You're getting stronger every day, every day you get closer and closer to saving him. So, it'll be a while, I don't care how long I have to wait. I want you."

She hung her head and closed her eyes to stop her tears from falling.

"But I don't want it -you, us- like this. Waiting for something that might never come and resenting one another for time lives we could've, should've had. I don't want that Dick, I don't."

"Zee." he said as he brought his hand to her face, she recoiled from his touch and grabbed his hand instead.

"Dick, I want you to be a husband and a father because you'd be great at it, because its what you've wanted your whole life, and because you of all people deserve that. I want you to be able to say I do and want you to hold your first child in your arms as if it were the world's most precious jewel, I want it so much for you that it hurts. It hurts because I want to be the one to give those things to you, I want to walk down an aisle to you, I want to commit myself to you, I want to carry your seed and give you children. I think of giving those things to you almost daily, but I can't Dick. I can't."

Suddenly he kissed her, putting an end to her rant and though she tried to pull away he chased her lips with his own and held her tighter until she finally succumbed.

When they finally broke apart he smiled at her and shook his head.

"Will you please shut up," he smiled. "Just sssshhhhh."

She went to say something, and he kissed her again until she submitted again.

"Zatanna Zatara, he said slowly, enunciating the words, "I don't want any of those things if you aren't the one giving them to me. Do you hear me? I don't want them, if I can't have them with you. What I want is a life with you, the rest we will figure out as we go along and that's that."

"But what about marriage, and kids, and-"

"You." He said firmly.

"I want you." He said as he moved to a knee onto the couch to tower over her.

"What about a house?" she squeaked.

"You." he said as he brought his lips to hers.

She brought her hands to his shoulders and gazed into his eyes which showed no sign of deception, but every sign of open admiration.

"I'm so sorry." She told him earnestly.

"I'm not." He said bringing his lips to hers firmly and effectively ending all conversation for the rest of the night.


	9. Celestial

****Post Perfect family, Post Legacy, During Partners****

Zatanna took a final bow, closing out her finale show, before disappearing behind the curtain of the stage.

"Great show Zee!" Mikey beamed.

"Couldn't have done it without you Mikey! You're the best." She replied. She got to her dressing room and fell into her chair. Her dressing room was adorned with flowers, candies, and gifts from her fans. She was never tired of the performing life, it was a rush like no other; the excited eyes of children and adults alike, standing ovations, and towering gifts were just some of the perks of the life she lived, and parts of the things she loved.

She glanced down at her wrist watch and sighed as the room began magically clearing itself out and packing her things. There were only two things in the whole world Zatanna loved being more than a magician and that was being a mom and a wife, well a fiancé, well more than that….well it was complicated by her own doing she admitted to herself but any title worked. She loved being his.

It was just after ten which in retrospect was early for her, but it meant that the twins were probably asleep and she hadn't gotten the chance before her show to wish them a good night.

She kicked off her heels and noticed the pink dahlia's in the sea of roses in front of her mirror. She smiled privately, she loved dahlia's, they were her favorite flower and only one person had ever deduced that.

* * *

**FLASHBACK.**

Dick and Zatanna walked hand and hand through the city idly before they came across a flower shop.

"It's smells celestial in here," she said as she took in another deep breath. The natural aroma's ameliorated the atmosphere and

"Celestial?" Dick repeated, smirking down at her. "You're better than that Zee."

She laughed, "Sometimes, just sometimes real words are enough to capture the moment." She said.

Dick looked at her thoughtfully, "Let's go in." he said suddenly.

"What, why?" Zatanna protested.

"Because you'll need something to walk down the aisle with, one of these days." He said semi-seriously while holding up her hand and looking pointedly at the engagement ring on her fourth finger.

Zatanna looked at him ruefully, "Well now I know you're crazy Grayson," she said before leaning over to sniff at more of the flowers, "because I'd run to you." She said as she turned to wink at him. "Besides flowers are just flowers, you can walk down the aisle with any flower."

"Not true." he said in a voice that feigned disdain. "You have to walk down with your favorite flowers or else how will everyone know it's the happiest day of your life."

Zatanna looked at him through bright narrowed eyes. "I don't have a favorite flower." she said with a hint of a challenge in her tone.

Dick smiled, "Correction, no one except for me knows your favorite flower."

"Coming in?" The small shopkeeper asked. Her salt and pepper hair was neatly tucked into a bun, pinned up with floral barrettes. Her large brown eyes were doe like, warm, and reminded her of chocolate.

Zatanna went to respond but Dick beat her to the punch. "Yes." he said excitedly as he squeezed her hand in his.

They followed the shopkeeper into the store and let the wafting aromas assault them. "So, when's the big day?" she asked sweetly.

"Huh?" Zatanna said, being caught off guard.

"We haven't picked one yet." Dick answered truthfully. "We're taking our time."

The little lady spun on her toes.

"But you're so young, what are you waiting for? Don't tell me you're afraid to take the dive." she said looking Dick square in the face.

Zatanna blushed, she hated that everyone assumed it was Dick who stalled on the wedding. Her gaze fell to their entwined hands as he rubbed a soothing circle on the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Well this one wanted to elope," he lied smoothly, the shopkeeper gasped as if horrified "but I want to do things the old-fashioned way, the right way. With family, (cue subtle hand squeeze) friends, and flowers."

"The three F's." The small shopkeeper nodded, "Oh, what a wonderful young man you've got here." She said to Zatanna, her doughy eyes adoring him. Zatanna resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"So what are your favorites sweetheart?" she asked.

"I'm not so picky," Zatanna said, "but my fiancé here thinks otherwise."

The shopkeeper smiled, "A man that knows a girl's favorite flowers is a man in love." She sang.

Zatanna nudged Dick playfully, "Well now you have to pick right Grayson, or else."

Dick smiled like he had a secret and shook his head rambunctiously, "Oh I'm not picking, you are. Put a bouquet together and I will tell you what your favorite flower is."

"That's cheating." she protested.

"Do you want me to prove you wrong or what Zatanna?"

She pursed her lips and let go of his hand. "Fine."

She walked deeper into the flower shop and started picking up various flowers. She came back with a large bouquet of maybe twenty flowers and presented them to Dick who smiled boyishly. The shopkeeper watched them curiously as she pulled out a spray bottle and started watering the plants.

Dick brought one hand over the bouquet and Zatanna smiled.

"I hope for your sake, you choose right." She warned him.

He smiled broadly now, "I chose right the day I chose you."

The shopkeeper snickered as she pulled out a small rag from her apron and hit him playfully with it before shaky her pruny finger at him and turning to look at Zatanna.

"You've got yourself a charmer here, you better keep an eye on him." She told her.

Zatanna laughed at her intrusive commentary.

"I assure you, I have nothing but honorable intentions with this one." Dick promised.

"He says that to all the pretty girls." Zatanna told her jokingly. "I won't be so easily convinced."

The old lady's bushy eyebrows shot up.

"Tough crowd." She said eyeing Dick.

"Every rose has its thorn." Dick agreed as he picked through the bouquet.

The old lady smirked and started spraying the flowers beside them.

"Well." Zatanna prompted him.

"This is a beautiful bouquet," Dick started, "But your favorite flower isn't in the arrangement."

Zatanna didn't reply but tried and failed to keep her lips from pulling up into a smile.

"Excuse me." he told the two women on either side of him, as he headed towards the back of the store. He came back a moment later with a pot ad soil in hand.

"That's not a flower Dick." Zatanna told him.

He shrugged, "Yeah I know, right now it's a seed in soil. It's going to grow into a flower, that's how these things work Zee."

"You are so full of it Grayson." She told him. "And now we're running late for dinner with Bruce, you know Alfred hates that."

He shrugged. "But he loves you." He nudged the little old lady whose hadn't was over her mouth giggling. "I'm just one of many men she has wrapped around her finger, a play thing, really."

Zatanna opened her mouth to protest and Dick held his finger to her lips.

"She's so impatient. To think we almost eloped." He told the old woman as he pretended to shudder. "But fret not by the time these flowers grow, she'll learn that all good things come in time and don't worry I'll keep you abreast of the progress." He promised her.

She blushed and laughed at the young couple, Zatanna rolled her eyes, it seemed he could just about any woman off her feet.

"I'd like to buy this bouquet of flowers." He said picking up Zatanna's bouquet, "and I would like to buy the pot, the soil, some flower food, and the seeds in here. The flower is.." He suddenly looked back at Zatanna and brought his arm around the older woman and walked towards the cash register with her, whispering in her ear all the while.

They left the flower shop, got in his car, and started towards the Wayne residence. Zatanna brought her nose to the bouquet and inhaled deeply.

"Thanks for the bouquet and the pot." She said as she placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks." He said for the kiss. "But the pot isn't for you." He told her.

"Oh." She said curiously.

He glanced at her and smiled, "Well not yet anyway."

* * *

A few weeks went by and Zatanna had all but forgotten about the pot. Dick had put it in the back of the car on the way home and that was the last she saw of it. it was a long holiday weekend when he woke her up one morning, late for them, but they were planning to go to brunch with Artemis and Wally (the married couple was celebrating one year) which meant having a sizeable breakfast before they left because no one could expect to finish a shared meal with Wally West and then taking a zeta all the way to California.

She was in the midst of getting dressed when he suddenly couldn't hold it in anymore.

"I want to show you something." He said suddenly grabbing her from behind and tickling her.

"Dick stop!" she squealed as he led her to their balcony door.

"I heard somewhere that a man who know a woman's favorite flower is a man in love." He whispered in her ear.

"I think I've heard that somewhere too." She laughed.

"Well," he said clutching her closer, pulling back the curtains, and opening the balcony door. "What's this say?"

She stepped out to be greeted by the scent and sight of tens of Dahlia's planted in a small garden space on the balcony. She gasped as she looked up and around the door of the balcony, on the ledge and saw the flowers intertwined and wrapped around the small corners and columns. It was like stepping into a garden in the sky.

Her eyes were wide and glazed over with unshed tears as she turned to face him.

"How'd you know?" she asked. "I've never-" she choked.

He took her hand and walked her further out on the balcony.

"I think I've seen you pick every flower in the world that you could except for Dahlia's which are almost as beautiful as you are. Even in the shop, you didn't pick it, though when you first walked in, you walked straight to the Dahlia's to smell them and then smelled everything else. There was only one in the pot, the shopkeep could probably only tend to one with so many other flowers to look after and I found out, it's because they're rare and very hard to upkeep. So why wouldn't the beautiful girl, pick the most beautiful flower? Because she loves it too much. Only you." He said shaking his head in disquietude.

Zatanna didn't reply still taking in the awe that was the garden he'd built.

"How?" she said.

"I had help." He admitted. "Alfred knows way more about gardening than he leads on."

Zatanna stayed quiet.

"Now, when the day comes, you'll have something to walk down the aisle with." He said simply. Zatanna turned around and surprised him by jumping into his unexpecting arms and roping her arms around his neck, kissing him fiercely.

"Run." She said when they broke apart. "I'm running down that aisle to you."

He laughed as she brought her lips to his again almost hungrily and started walking him back inside their bedroom.

Needless to say, they were late to brunch.

* * *

Zatanna's eyes pricked at the memory. He was truly something else. She picked up the card settled in the flowers and in his handwriting, she saw the only three words she needed to.

**_Run to me._ **

In a sudden whirlwind of air, she found herself back in her bedroom as Dick walked out of the bathroom from having just brushed his teeth.

"You're home early." He said as he walked toward her, fatigue hanging onto his voice. Before he'd even taken his next step ran and jumped into his arms and sealed her lips over his.

"I ran." she explained when their lips broke apart for air.

Without another word, Dick brought his lips to hers.


	10. An Added Bonus

***** Pre Partners, Pre Perfect Family, Post Legacy*****

"You know, the next time you ask me out on a date, I'm breaking up with you." She told him.

"Don't be like that Zee." He smiled.

"I'm serious Dick, I put in more JLA hours on our dates than my own actual missions. I'm starting to think we only date so you can close cases."

"Well that and you look good undercover and under covers." he joked.

She smacked him in the back of his head and opened the passenger car door.

She walked out and around the car to lean over into his window, "You know what I think Grayson, maybe you like other guys hitting on your girlfriend. Maybe that's your thing, seeing other mean come up to bat and knowing you get to go home with the prize."

Dick smirked, "No baby, you're my thing. The other stuff," he shrugged, "it's just an added bonus."

He kissed her quickly on the lips and handed her the tracker.

"Don't forget to place this on him. Skin contact is best." He reminded her.

She nodded turned to leave and he grabbed her hand and met her eyes over his dark shades although it was night time.

"You touch his skin, he doesn't touch yours." He told her.

Zatanna smirked. "Don't tell me the last sting we did together got you jealous. It was just a kiss."

"Zatanna." he warned.

"I know," she said as she started walking away. "It's all yours. For now."

Dick smiled and went to park the car to monitor from an unseen distance.

Five minutes later Zatanna reappeared in the passenger seat.

"Gah!" Dick said in surprise.

Zatanna laughed, "Sorry these shoes pinch." She said by way of explanation.

"You're done?" He asked incredulously.

"No, I couldn't get close to him. I'm not his type." She said as she picked up the box of gluten free gummies.

"He turned you down?" Dick asked in disbelief. "Dark hair and blue eyes, that's his type, that's what you are."

"Yeah," Zatanna said unaffected, "I couldn't even get close to the guy. I was no where near his preference but don't worry. This date, I mean mission is still salvageable."

"How?" Dick asked.

Zatanna placed her hand on his lap and the other on the side of his face.

"Well baby it looks like I'll be the one catching the show tonight because Marcos is gay. It's a gay bar." She said with too much excitement in her voice.

Dick's face fell.

"Dark hair, blue eyes, broad shoulders, a lined chest, and a -" she rattled off as her hands slid further up his lap.

He grabbed her hand and huffed out a quick breath.

"I got it." He told her grudgingly.

She laughed, "Who knew Marcos and I had the same tastes in men?"

She handed him the ear piece, the tracking device and the mic.

"Knock em dead sweetheart. Remember skin contact is best, you touch his, not the other way around and remember I'm watching and it's date night so….get creative." She whispered in his ear.

"You're sick." he told her as he climbed out of the car.

"Sick for your love." she said biting her lower lip and then bursting into a fit of laughter.

* * *

Zatanna brought the ice pack to the side of his face gently and he winced.

"Sorry." She replied.

"It's not so bad." He replied.

"You didn't have to punch him." She scolded him.

"I got the tracker on him, didn't I?" he reminded her.

"Yeah and now you're gonna be front page on the tabloids tomorrow."

"Yeah, well he got handsy." Dick told her.

"Is that right? I can't imagine a man who gets handsy at a bar. You'd really have to paint me a picture." She teased.

Dick scoffed. "This was after I told him I wasn't interested, that I was in a committed relationship."

"You did not." Zatanna laughed.

"I did, I told him you were the jealous type and that he'd get hurt, it's a shame he didn't believe me." Dick said unapologetically. "Hope it was creative enough for you."

Zatanna laughed even harder, holding on to the edge of her stool for balance.

"It was." She conceded. "It got me all hot and bothered."

"You say that like you're joking but you got to go home with the prize." He told her as his hands trailed up her thighs.

"This prize looks pretty banged up." She told him as she ignored his advances and pressed the ice pack on his face with more pressure.

"You should see the other guys." Dick told her.

Zatanna shook her head but otherwise didn't reply.

"I know it's late." He started, "But I'd really like to go out with you."

Zatanna laughed. "And let someone take another crack at you? No thanks. These goods," she said as she brought her lips to his in a soft brief kiss, "are all mine."

"Prove it." Dick challenged.

She took the ice pack off his face and kissed the bruises alongside his face and the under side of his jaw before settling into his lap comfortably.

"I'm starting to think mission dates are your thing." She said in a low voice.

He shook his head and smiled up at her, "You're my thing." He promised as he brought his lips back up to hers. "The rest is just an added bonus."


	11. Sleeping Naked

His fingers trailed up her leg and up her thigh and she smiled at him broadly.

"Your hand is on my side of the bed." She joked, referring to a fight they had to break up between the twins just hours ago.

"You know, for people who don't pay for anything, they sure know how to lay claim to things." He muttered.

Zatanna's eyes glowed with mirth. "It's hereditary." She purred.

Dick roped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, causing her to giggle.

"Damn right." He agreed as he brought his lips to hers and pulled her on top of him.

She adorned his face, neck, and upper body with kisses and he returned the favor with an unparalleled excitement. Suddenly he flipped her onto his back and towered over her, her hair spilling over the pillows and her blushing face adding to her naked beauty.

"Zatanna Grayson, you are-"

"Mommy?" a voice called from outside their bedroom.

Zatanna threw her hands over her mouth to muffle her laughter at Dick's facial expression. Which showed severe disappointment and immediate exhaustion.

"Mommy?" the voice called again. Zatanna went to respond and Dick looked at her alarmed.

"No." he whispered furiously. "No, he has to do this himself Zee, I'm building a man out there."

"Dick." She whispered back in John's defense. Her eyes resigned but beseeching him. "What if it's serious? Please."

"Daddy?" John called from behind the door.

"You're coddling him." He told her.

"I know," Zatanna confessed, she suddenly grabbed Dick's face and brought it to hers. She kissed him lustfully, with every bad intention in mid and could feel the muscle that rippled on top of her as he fought and lost for control over his body. When they broke apart, he gave up, got out of bed and walked into their bathroom.

Before he walked in, he grabbed her nightgown off the hook on the door and threw it at her.

"We used to sleep naked." He reminded her.

"Nepo" Zatanna ordered.

The door swung open and John walked straight to their bed and climbed into it at the center, his favorite spot.

"Hey baby." Zatanna as she brought her arms around him. "Can't sleep?"

The seven year old shook his head and rested his head comfortably on his mother's arms.

"Wanna talk about it?" she offered.

John shook his head and his lower lip slipped into a pout.

"If you don't tell us whats bothering you, we cant help you champ." Dick told him as he climbed back into bed.

John shrugged.

It'd been this way for days now, he would wake up in the middle of the night and wander into their bedroom before falling asleep there. Zatanna didn't mind in the slightest but Dick had another opinion on the matter.

"Listen champ, one day me and mommy might not be here, you won't have anyone's bed to crawl into. What are you gonna do then?"

"Dick." Zatanna protested.

"Where are you guys going?" John asked suddenly.

"Nowhere." Zatanna promised as she subtly punched Dick in the arm. "Daddy just means that if you can't talk about it, we can't fix it and if we can't fix it you'll never be able to seep by yourself."

"I don't care" he told them, "I like sleeping with you guys. It makes me feel good. I don't want to sleep by myself ever again."

Dick threw a glance at Zatanna that said I told you so.

"Well, you're not by yourself, Wyette's there with you."

John pursed his lips and hung his head.

Zatanna and Dick shared a suspicious glance.

"Hey, what's that about?" Dick asked him.

He shook his head and curled into Zatanna's side. Zatanna ran her fingers through his unkept hair.

"Wye can't feel it, she doesn't know." John whispered.

"Know what?" Zatanna asked softly. "Are you hiding something from her?"

John shook his head and let out a shaky breath, "I don't know, I can't explain it."

"Well you have try, right?" Zatanna encouraged him softly.

His big blue eyes implored her for understanding and as Zatanna went to recant her previous statement Dick squeezed her arm softly and spoke.

"Hey, what do I always say?" Dick asked him.

John's eyes flashed up to his father's, he let go of another breath. "We only lose when we don't try."

Dick nodded solemnly.

"I think something bad is going to happen. I keep having bad dreams about bad people being all around us and I don't know what to do." He admitted. "I'm scared. They keep trying to break our family."

"Sweetheart," Zatanna started only t be cut off.

"No one is going to break us apart." Dick promised; Zatanna flashed him a look and he continued. "Look champ, I can't promise that bad things wont happen but in life or death, we're Grayson's, we're always together."

"Because of our magic?" John asked carefully.

"Because of our magic and because of our love," Zatanna explained. "No matter what happens no one will ever be able to take away the love we have for you or the bond we share. That's what make family so special."

"You promise?" John asked.

"Yes." Zatanna and Dick replied.

Dick ruffled his hair and placed a kiss on top of the unkept ebony that covered his head.

"But you don't have to worry about those things champ. Me and mommy, are going to protect you with everything we've got. Everything. So go to sleep, we'll be here when you wake up. Promise."

John nodded snuggled further into his mother's embrace. Dick reached over and closed the lights before wrapping his arms around them both. Zatanna stroked John's hair soothingly until he fell asleep.

Once he was nodded off, she looked at Dick, who looked right back at her. They'd learned a long time ago not to doubt either twins' intuition. She opened her mouth to speak and Dick shook his head mutely and his eyes flashed down to the child between them. She nodded in silent agreement and sighed.

Dick pressed his lips to her forehead and closed his eyes before a thud at the door alerted his senses. Before he could even grab the weapon concealed beneath their mattress, a sound al too familiar to him calmed his nerves.

"Daddy." Wyette yawned as she walked into the room, her stuff rabbit tucked beneath one arm and a blanket in the other.

No further explanation was needed as they had both known that with one twin present the other was soon to follow.

Zatanna giggled. "Come on up hun, John's in here too. Just snuggle in."

Wyette trudged to stand on Dick's side of the bed and simply lifted up her arms. Dick scooped her and placed her right beside him and her brother. She nestled herself into the tight embrace and was off in a matter of seconds.

Dick pressed a kiss to her head before noticing her hair and starting to lightly re-braid the loose pattern Zatanna did for her every night.

Zatanna watched him with mischief in her eyes.

"You coddle them too." She mouthed before sticking her tongue out.

Dick rolled his eyes. "We used to sleep naked." He muttered again before turning over and sleeping.


	12. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zatanna had been having nightmares for weeks, it started in the hospital before she or the twins had even come home. She played it off in the hospital as postpartum anxiety and for a while Dick bought it considering how horrific labor had been for her but he soon figured out that something else entirely had to be the matter.

Zatanna held her breathing steady and peaked through her long black lashes at the man underneath her. She loved when they slept like this, he was a like a chiseled body heater, his impeccable muscle lined chest moving up and down with his quiet breaths was like a soothing cadence to her, the arms he wound tightly around her waist felt like….

"I know you're awake Zee," he mumbled through stiffly moving lips, interrupting her train of thought.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Then pretend you haven't noticed and go back to sleep," she said absentmindedly as she stretched sorely.

He pulled one his vice tight arms away from her waist and bought his hand to his face, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to wake up.

"I don't want to sleep." He said groggily despite the conviction he tried to work into the sentence.

Zatanna smirked, "Mmmmm, well we don't have to sleep." She suggested seductively, planting soft lingering kisses on his bare chest.

"I meant, I don't want to sleep if you can't because of your nightmares." He finished.

Zatanna pouted attractively, "Forget about nightmares, I can do things to you that you could only dream of. By the time I'm done with you, you might have to go sleep whether you want to or not." She threatened placing more kisses on his chest, slowly trailed up towards his neck.

Dick chuckled lowly and wrapped both arms around her waist again. "You know, there are some problems sex can't solve." He chastised her.

Zatanna laughed softly while she outlined invisible circles onto his chest. "I know that," she said sticking her tongue out at him playfully, "But you can't deny it's worth trying."

"No denial here." He agreed.

They continued to lay on the bed in a comfortable silence while they both knew it couldn't stay that way. Not if they wanted to get past this, and they knew they needed to get past this.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Dick asked as he rubbed soothing circles into her back. The muscles in her back tensed up anyway, and he resisted the urge to sigh.

She'd been having nightmares for weeks, it started in the hospital before she or the twins had even come home. She played it off in the hospital as postpartum anxiety and for a while Dick bought it considering how horrific labor had been for her but he soon figured out that something else entirely had to be the matter.

He knew now that her lack of sleep was because of her recurring nightmares. She would stop breathing in her sleep and wake up in a start. She was better at hiding it now though, but Dick knew every time he felt her heart stutter in rhythm and her breath pick up suddenly, that she was awake. He didn't say much at first, he knew first hand that sometimes nightmares just came with the lifestyle, the territory, and now parenthood but he could see that the lack of sleep was draining her.

Between taking care of the twins all day, which included breastfeeding all the time, managing the house alone because Dick had to go to work and adjusting the plans for her stage tour to fit their new lives, it was no wonder she was exhausted but with nightmares coming more frequently it was something new altogether; and they couldn't ignore it anymore.

"I'm just tired Dick," she said lamely.

"So tired you can't sleep," Dick repeated in a tone that made it clear he didn't believe her. Zatanna pressed her lips together and closed her eyes, feigning sleep.

Dick waited for her eyes to open back up or for a smirk to cross her lips, until he realized she was actually trying to fool him into thinking she was asleep.

"You're kidding, right? Really? C'mon Zee, I know you aren't sleeping. You snore," he reminded her.

Zatanna's eyes popped open and laughter rolled through her like an ocean wave. She slapped his chest playfully and rolled her naked body off of his and onto her side of the bed.

"Shut up Dick, I do not snore." She said through her fit of giggles. He pulled her body against his and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"How would you know, you're asleep when it happens." He wagered cockily.

She looked at him incredulously, "Because you're possibly the lightest sleeper I know, and considering you sleep better than the twins these days, I know for a fact I don't snore."

Dick smiled, his pearly white teeth visible thanks to the street light across the road peering into their apartment window, "Fine, you caught me." He admitted.

Zatanna sighed in quiet relief, "I know you Grayson," she bragged softly, running her free hand through his disheveled hair.

"Like I know you?" he countered.

Zatanna huffed out a big breath and tried not to regret it instantly.

"What's going on Zee, I can't help you if don't tell me." Dick said.

It was quiet for what seemed like an endless amount of heartbeats.

"I don't know if you could help me if I did tell you." She finally whispered.

"You can't deny it isn't worth trying." Dick reminded her, smiling down at her. Zatanna could help but smile (meekly) with him.

"The nightmares I've been having?" she started and then paused.

"Yeah?" Dick prompted her to continue.

"They're…..they're about the twins. You know, the day they were born…when I died." Her voice broke on the last word.

Dick nodded one hard nod, his lips pressed into a hard line. The twins' birthday was a day of mixed emotions for him, joy for the most part, but he'd never forget the not so brief moments when it seemed like anything but. The moment the doctor said the twins were stillborn, the moment Zatanna in her weakened state cast the spell that allowed them to breath, the same moment when Zatanna had gone into cardiac arrest, the moment she flat lined….no he liked to think of happier moments like the moment the twins started crying, the moment Zatanna started breathing again, the moment he got to hold the entirety of his new family in his hands.

"In my nightmare, I'm reliving it…..my death…..over and over again. But it's worse because It's like every night death gets colder, and closer, and more permanent this time. And I'm not…..I'm not ascending, there's no light, there's nothing and it's just dark and cold. And I'm alone and powerless and scared and then I feel it, the weight of the darkness and the loneliness…and death." She said rushing the words out, and trying to stop the tears she knew he could see in her eyes from falling.

Dick pulled her into him now, wrapping both arms around her; he could feel the cool tears falling unto his chest.

"And I'm so scared Dick, I am so scared." Zatanna confessed as she started to sob now, "I know…..I know that everyone dies and everything, you know? I've talked to ghosts, I've seen hell with my own eyes, but this was different. It was like…like….." she started sobbing again.

"It's okay Zee, it's okay." he soothed. "You're here now, with me and the twins, and you're okay."

* * *

It was morning when she realized she'd fallen asleep soundly in his arms.

It was the intruding sunlight that first woke her, she swore to herself she'd get thicker curtains for that window. She tried to tuck her head under Dick's chin but he started to stir. She quietly gave up on going back to sleep and pressed her full lips to his Adam's apple.

Dick chuckled, "Good morning beautiful." He said although his eyes were closed.

Zatanna rolled her eyes and glanced at the clock on the nightstand, "You're so late to work," she told him expecting him to jump out of bed and rush into the shower.

"Yeah, I know." He said almost flamboyantly.

Zatanna cocked a brow at him in curiosity and Dick opened his eyes and smiled, "You were sleeping." he stated sternly. "I couldn't take my eyes off you."

Zatanna rolled her eyes, "Yeah right."

"I'm serious," he said kissing her forehead again, "I haven't seen you sleep so well in so long, I thought I'd savor the moment and take the day off."

Zatanna rolled her cyan blue eyes dramatically making sure he'd see the fanfare but it was unnecessary as he was already staring at her attentively with those doughy blue eyes of his that always got them in trouble. She wanted to stick her tongue out at him, tease him for being so 'mushy' as they'd coined it but she didn't…..couldn't. Not when she could see it so clearly in his eyes, his quiet obsession for her, his unwavering adoring fixation, and overtaking them all was his unshielded undying love for her.

"Thanks," she whispered against his exposed skin, his thick brows pulled together in confusion.

"For what?" he asked as he propped his head on his hand. Zatanna mimicked the action nonchalantly.

"For last night."

Dick wriggled his eyebrows goofily, "You're welcome but I think I should be thanking you for… well you know," he said suggestively. At that Zatanna had to laugh.

"Not for that, you idiot." She laughed trying to unsuccessfully push him away from her.

"For what then?" he asked grabbing one of her hands and placing it over his broad muscled lined shoulder.

Zatanna moved her fingers to the nape of his neck where she could play with his unruly hair. "For listening to me and comforting me…and you know liking me or whatever." She said in a small feigned dismissive voice.

Dick smiled, "Loving you," he corrected her. "And Anytime." He promised.

Relief washed through her like a tidal wave and warmth coursed through her body eagerly.

"Anytime?" she asked ruefully.

"All the time," he said surely but slowly trying to follow her train of thought.

"How about now," she said not giving him time to respond as she locked her lips with his with obvious intent. Dick caught on quickly and grabbed hold her, securing her to his body. Zatanna laughed at his eagerness and he pulled away kissing every part of her that he could.

"What?" he mumbled into her skin.

"I think I might love you Grayson." She said semi-seriously.

Dick put his hands on either side of her face and held her eyes in his. "Maye I'm the one dreaming." He said bringing his lips to hers.


	13. The Last Line

****Post Legacy, Post Perfect Family, Pre Partners****

Zatanna burst into the precinct and locked eyes on him immediately, her heart skipped a beat before leaping into a sprinting cadence that matched her quickening legs. He was standing in front of a medic laughing even though his bare chest was exposed and covered in red blotches that were sure to turn into bruises and his right shoulder blade was wrapped in gauze.

"Ms. Grayson" she heard in passing as she accidentally shoved past another cop. He had just turned his head at the sound of her name when she locked her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hot-blooded kiss.

Wolf whistles and applause erupted in the precinct as well as a few unsavory comments but they ignored them.

"Get a room Grayson!"

"Now that's how you salute an officer!"

"That lucky son of a bitch."

Zatanna could feel the smile that pulled at his lips just as he pulled away, sliding his left arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

"Zee," he breathed.

The precinct was a buzz with noise and a scarlet fire lit a path across Zatanna's face. He escorted her into his office, and was smiling broadly when he turned around to face his audience. "Real classy fellas! Real classy." He said closing the door.

He hadn't even finished turning around when she roped him into another fiery make out session. He winced as she grabbed his shoulder blade but made no move to pull away from her. He could feel the heat radiating from her face, the cool tears that fell off her long lashes, and the gasps of air she took when for less than what seemed like mere seconds their lips broke apart.

He pulled away and she kissed his jaw, neck, and shoulder, greedily.

"Zee," he breathed, "it's okay. I'm okay."

She started sobbing then and brought her face to his chest. He kissed the top of her head and hugged her to his chest.

"It's okay." he said again.

She nodded, "I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry." She said through her tears. "Are you okay?"

Dick kissed her on the lips quickly, "Never better." He promised.

She cocked a brow at him and he smirked, "Okay," he allowed, "I've had better days, but any day your lips are on mine are always good days."

She looked at him with patient but tired eyes and he sighed. "What happened? How'd he even get in?" she asked desperately.

The Grayson home had one entrance, the front door. It was one of Dick's requirements when they went home hunting after Zatanna found out she was pregnant. The house had one door and several escape routes that he had built in himself because even as a retired hero, Dick couldn't help but want to know every possible escape route or entry point; he was a bat after all.

"He knocked." Dick admitted with chagrin. "And I opened the door, the kids were in the training room. They don't even know what happened. By the time the gun went off, he was practically gone; running down the hall. The alarm went off, the house locked down and ten minutes later the guys (police) showed up." He said in a low voice.

Zatanna pressed the palm of her hand against her lips, a stress habit she formed as a kid instead of chewing her nails. He took her hand from her lips and brought them to his own lips. "They're safe Zee, Wyette and John are with Alfred right now and Alfred knows how to use my weapons better than I do." He joked. He resisted the urge to sigh when she didn't laugh, "The house is still on lockdown, not even the man of steel could break in and you know I'm not joking."

This seemed to relax her a bit.

"Did you recognize him?" she asked as he took a seat on the edge of his desk.

"No, but Alfred's running facial recognition software against the apartment security camera's and our security camera's." He said as he pulled her into his lap. "If he's on any system anywhere, we'll find him."

Zatanna stayed silent, her mind racing. "Hey," he said planting a kiss on the exposed crook of her neck, "everything's okay."

Despite her nerves feeling fray, her body started to relax under his touch. "Dick, we used to be superheroes. You're a lead detective and I am literally the mistress of magic; if our combined security isn't enough; what is?" she asked seriously.

Dick rubbed her shoulders soothingly, "Zee, we've got nearly as much security as the watchtower and the batcave, in addition to that we have your magic. The house is all but impenetrable. He didn't even break in, I opened the door for him, that doesn't count. We're safe, they're safe. This was a coincidence."

Zatanna turned to face him, "Fate; Dick. You know I don't believe in coincidences, but Fate is all too real." She said, her double entendre hanging in the air.

He took a deep breath, "Then we'll enhance security, if it'll make you feel better." He offered.

"It won't" she confessed. "What if it's not enough, Dick.? What if everything we're doing isn't enough?" She asked suddenly.

Dick took both her hands and put them one on his wounded shoulder and over his heart. "Then there's me." He reminded her.

"The last line of defense." She whispered in hollow voice.

"I'd die before I let anything happen to them Zee, to us." he said looking into her cyan blue eyes. "So don't worry."

She studied his face before nodding and wiping away her drying tears. "Okay" she agreed slowly, "If you let me be the last line." She countered.

Dick looked at her with feigned incredulity, "Mistress of magic," she said in an obvious tone, "I've literally got more firepower. I would obviously stand a much better chance."

Dick pursed his lips in thought, "I'll think about it." He said.

Zatanna opened her mouth to argue and then thought better of it. "We'll leave it to fate." She said.

Dick rolled his eyes, "Something tells me, he prefers you to me." Zatanna laughed.

She brought their lips together again, this time her kiss sweeter. "I love you."

"I evol ouy." He said in return, Zatanna smiled and intertwined their fingers.

"Let's go home," she whispered.

Dick squeezed her hand softly, "I'm already there."


End file.
